Lisa is my sister-in-law. She is currently not working due to breast cancer. She has had 3 surgeries and is starting chemotherapy next week. My brother, Peter, is also missing work due to helping with travel and being with her during treatments. So any help would be greatly appreciated. Please keep them in your prayers!

Below is her story so far...

I felt a lump and went to the doctor. Back on 9/5/23, I had a mammogram, then an ultrasound. It showed nothing, but I could feel it. So on Jan 2, 2025, I was finally able to get an appointment for a physical. My doctor felt it and thought since it's growing like a cyst, let's watch it. I left, thought about it, and it had been bothering me, so I called back. He sent me to see my surgeon, trying to save me money from having another mammogram and ultrasound. But she wanted a new set, so off I go for a mammogram and ultrasound on Feb 11th. It shows a large mass, 3.5 cm. So the next step was a core biopsy on Feb 11th. Now I wait a week. Get results... ahhhhh benign... But being it's large, I opted to have it removed. So on March 28th, I had the first surgery. Wait for results of the biopsy of masses after removal. This one ended up being close to 6 cm when removed. It's now April 9th, I get a call with results assuming all is good... And I hear good and bad news. Good news: we took out most of the mass. Bad news: CANCER... Shock... I get off the phone, call Peter, talk to him. Still can't believe I have cancer... Meet with the doctor on April 15 to go over the plan. And I find out I don't just have cancer; I have triple-negative breast cancer. A very aggressive and fast-growing cancer. Only like 15-20% of women get this. (Still learning about it.) This means it's harder to treat. Basically, treatment is chemo and radiation, no pills, no hormonal therapy.

(Mass was 6 cm. Tumor was 3 cm.) So off to the second surgery again to remove margins and the first 3 lymph nodes to see if cancer has spread outside of the breast... That was April 28th. Wait 1 week... Benign... Ahhhh no spread... Next was chemo port placement. On May 21, I had surgery #3 to place that. Starting next week, Thursday 29th, I start chemo. That will be weekly for 12 weeks, then a week break, then I go every other week for 8 weeks. Total 20 weeks of chemo. Then a few weeks later will be radiation. That consists of 4 weeks of treatment, 5 days a week.

I am still waiting for my genetics testing. If I have BRCA1 or BRCA2, it changes everything for the future, so to speak. These genes mean it will up my % of my cancer returning even after these treatments. It wouldn't be the same but a new cancer, possibly in the other breast. (A lot of women that have BRCA1 opt to have a mastectomy as your % of a new cancer is up to 50% or so.)